WASHINGTON (TND) — Bitterly cold temperatures that have swept across America this week have brought headaches for electric vehicle owners to make their mileage range last or for those in need of a charge with instances of drivers being stranded or being stuck at charging stations without getting any juice.
Dealing with swings in temperature is another hiccup for the transition to an all-electric future the Biden administration and automakers are trying to guide the country toward and giving some consumers who might otherwise purchase an EV some pause when heading to the dealership.
Extreme temperatures hamper electric vehicles and the batteries that power them, which can result in lower range or difficulties charging if the chargers aren’t protected properly or it gets too hot or cold.
A study from AAA found freezing temperatures and hot weather can significantly diminish the range of electric vehicles, which is already the primary concern for many people when it comes to making the switch from the traditional combustion-powered engine. When temperatures dip below freezing and heating systems are turned on, the average driving range of an EV decreases by 41%, according to AAA. When air conditioning is used for temperatures above 95F, driving range is reduced by 17%.
Cold temperatures impact the lithium-ion batteries used to power most electric vehicles, hurting their ability to store and release a charge. Charging is also slower and less efficient in the cold.
“It's like suddenly as a smaller gas tank on your car is what it amounts to,” said Tim Johnson, professor of the practice in energy and the environment at Duke University. “Gasoline engine deficiency goes down in the wintertime as well. When it's colder with mileage drops, but it's not as significant as you'd see with batteries.”
Less capacity means more charges for consumers, which is both time-consuming and costly for people who need to charge up frequently. Studies have found that most drivers only travel 40 miles or less a day, meaning they do not need to charge on a daily basis, but longer commutes or road trips through extreme temperatures can be a bigger problem.
Drivers who live in urban areas face some additional challenges when it comes to protecting their vehicle from the elements with fewer indoor parking spaces and greater need for public charging stations.
Electric vehicle owners in Chicago, which has experienced temperatures well into the negatives, are facing hourslong waits at charging stations with several hours of charging or just abandoning their cars entirely.
The cold has been a headache for drivers but also encapsulates a problem facing automakers that have invested heavily in an all-electric future by expanding production and the number of electric offerings in their lineups. One of the major hurdles for manufacturers to get consumers to make the switch is range anxiety — despite all new vehicles’ capacity being well beyond typical driving habits — and concerns about where and how long it takes the vehicles to charge.
Incidents like what happened in Chicago could present more hurdles for automakers to overcome.
“One of the reasons why you've seen something of a sales drop-off towards the end of last year, was that a lot of people who wanted an EV own one now, and there’s another market segment you're trying to reach and they're a little bit more skeptical,” Johnson said. “Not that they wouldn’t buy one, but things like this are bad publicity, it’s enough to dissuade them.”
Automakers have been adjusting the features of their offerings to help blunt the impact of cold weather, like installing heat pumps that are more efficient than HVAC systems, driving modes that consume less energy or scheduled cabin preconditioning features that will make adjust the temperature inside using less of the battery’s capacity.
Batteries have greatly improved since the first electric vehicles and are likely to continue to have greater capacity and lower degradation with usage as technological advances come, which could also help minimize the impact of range and charging anxieties.
“It's a transition and it's going to be bouncy,” Johnson said. “Look ahead to 2040 and say, ‘yeah, we'll probably get through a lot of these issues,’ but in the near term, I don't think it's gonna be as quick as a lot of people would like.”
The technology behind charging stations along with their availability is also improving essentially constantly in the U.S., but for now EV owners need to plan ahead to minimize their headaches for dealing with extreme temperatures.
Drivers can prepare for cold or heat by starting the vehicle while it’s still plugged in to warm up, making sure to find a charging station before the battery gets too low or parking inside or other areas that are more protected from the elements when possible.
"electric" - Google News
January 17, 2024 at 12:38AM
https://ift.tt/0nAtXvT
Cold temperatures bring headaches for electric vehicle owners in need of a charge - WOAI
"electric" - Google News
https://ift.tt/fLgc80p
https://ift.tt/0uSadxN
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Cold temperatures bring headaches for electric vehicle owners in need of a charge - WOAI"
Post a Comment